How deafness may emerge as a disability as social interactions unfold

The author's hearing loss ranges from moderate to profound in both ears. She uses spoken English, written English and Auslan (Australian sign language) to communicate, and rely heavily on two hearing aids, speech reading skills and her vision to interact with other people. All human interactions are uniquely and intersubjectively shaped by the actors, how they communicate, and what they are doing while interacting. In her case, if someone is simultaneously attending to some task while talking with her, this may mean that she cannot see their face and therefore cannot access their spoken utterances. The degree to which deafness manifests as disability tends to be shaped by all of the individuals engaging in an interaction. In yoga practice at least, she found that it is possible to negotiate and adapt her accessible means to enable her to participate and enjoy group practice in both a personal and social way.